Derby County vs Stoke City report: Derby County match report

Martyn Waghorn scored a brace as Derby County held Stoke City to a 2-2 draw at the Bet365 Stadium in the Championship on Saturday afternoon.

Waghorn gave the Rams an early lead but they were pegged back by goals from Liam Lindsay and Scott Hogan either side of half-time. It looked like the Potters would get the win they will feel they deserved, but Waghorn hit his second in the 70^th minute.

Derby boss Phillip Cocu had made 11 changes for the Carabao Cup first round win at Scunthorpe United in midweek. For this game, he reverted back to the side that started last weekend’s goalless draw against Swansea City. Stoke boss Nathan Jones, meanwhile, made one change from the side that started last weekend’s 3-1 league defeat at Charlton Athletic.

Cocu couldn’t have asked for a better start from his team as the Rams took the lead in the second minute. Waghorn opened the scoring after he turned home a Kieran Dowell cross with a cool finish. Stoke should have equalised six minutes later when Joe Allen hit the post from a yard out after Kelle Roos had brilliantly denied Sam Clucas’ header.

For the visitors, Dowell’s free-kick from the right was pushed away to safety by the diving Jack Butland. Stoke made a set-piece count when Liam Lindsay made it 1-1 with a powerful header from inside the six-yard box.

Tom Ince hit the crossbar from 12 yards out, while James McClean failed to connect with the ball in first-half stoppage time after he pulled away at the back post.

Stoke took a 2-1 lead after the interval through debutant Hogan, who smashed home into the roof of the net in the 56th minute. The second goal gave the hosts a lot of confidence and they started applying more pressure, with Clucas powering a header over the bar.

But in the 70^th minute, Derby were given a lifeline after George Evans was brought down and Waghorn scored from the resultant penalty to earn Cocu’s side a valuable point.

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After a hard-fought draw at Stoke, here’s how the Derby fans reacted on Twitter.